Hundreds of Oil Company Iran Employees and Workers Gather in Several Cities

Hundreds of formal employees and workers of the National Iranian Oil Company held strikes and gatherings on Wednesday, the fifth of Khordad, in at least five cities, including the Asaluyeh, Lavan, and Bahrgan areas and an oil platform in the Persian Gulf.

According to a report by the Free Union of Iranian Workers, this protest was held following a call by formal oil company workers.

Based on videos circulated on social networks, formal employees of the Oil Company gathered and marched in Ahvaz in front of the southern oil-rich regions complex.

During the gathering, they chanted against Bijan Zanganeh, the Minister of Oil, and called for his resignation.

The protesters also chanted: “Production line workforce – no salary ceiling” and “Until we get our rights – we will not back down.”

Discontented workers and employees of the Oil Company in Asaluyeh chanted: “The minister is betraying – the parliament is supporting,” “Be afraid, be afraid – we are all together,” and “Zanganeh, have shame – abandon the ministry.”

Similar gatherings were also held in the cities of Abadan, Gachsaran, and Mahshahr, two oil areas of Lavan and Bahrgan, as well as on the Abuzar oil platform in the Persian Gulf.

A number of formal workers and employees also gathered in front of Parliament in Tehran.

According to the Free Union of Iranian Workers, formal oil workers are protesting the method of wage increases for the year 1400.

Previously, ILNA news agency reported that they are demanding “precise and fair implementation of the 1400 wage increase law, implementation of Article 10 of the Oil Ministry’s law of authorities, the initial employment table from 1393 and its extension to all employees hired before that date.”

“Fundamental amendment to the oil pension funds’ bylaws, review of formal staff credentials, payment of section (c) extraordinary allowance for war zones, reform of the tax law on salaries of oil workers employed in difficult conditions, full payment of retirement rewards based on years of service without observing the 30-year reward ceiling, resolution of the transitional issues of employees of divested companies, and resolution of problems faced by students and disabled war veterans” are among other demands of formal oil company workers and employees.

Temporary Staff and Persian Gulf Holding Company Employees Gatherings

Temporary employees of the Oil Ministry also gathered in front of Parliament on Tuesday to follow up on promises made by officials of the ministry.

They demanded the implementation of salary equalization, review of the wage and salary system, application of job-related bonuses, and the change of employment status of temporary staff like other ministries.

The protesters, referring to the Oil Minister’s promises to change their employment status, said: One of Bijan Zanganeh’s promises at the time of receiving a vote of confidence in the tenth parliament was to address the situation of temporary employees; however, they still face greater uncertainty.

This is while, according to these protesters, based on the government cabinet approval on the first of Esfand 1390, 34,000 temporary employees of the Oil Ministry should have had their status changed to “fixed-term.”

This has resulted in over the past decade, employment benefits of 34,000 temporary employees of the Oil Ministry, such as hiring bonuses, workshop bonuses, unfavorable weather allowances, work hardship allowances, seniority, and educational credentials have not been paid.

Also, hundreds of formal employees of the Persian Gulf Holding Company gathered on Tuesday in protest of their working conditions on the edge of the entrance road to the Mahshahr special economic zone.

According to ILNA news agency, formal employees of the Persian Gulf Holding Company demanded that the company comply with its contract with the Petrochemical Industries Company regarding the payment of productivity and proficiency rewards and other approved benefits.

They also demanded that the ground be prepared for the transfer of formal oil ministry employees to subsidiary companies of the Oil Ministry.

In the past year, reports have been published regarding professional protests by workers and employees of the oil, gas, and petrochemical industries.

Source: Radio Farda